United States HistoryChapter 34:

From Nixon to Carter

President NixonMuch of Nixon’s support came from middle class

Americans He called his supporters the “Silent Majority” People that were not involved in the protesting and

violence of the 1960s

Welfare reform was biggest policy concern Thought that Great Society programs were wasteful and

made people rely on the government Proposed the Family Assistance Plan (FAP) to replace most

welfare, but it was never passed

Not a big supporter of civil rights laws Hoped to lure southerners from the Democratic Party, so

he assured people that he would not support more civil rights laws

Appointed a conservative in Warren Burger in 1969 when Earl Warren retired

President NixonThe economy was stumbling when Nixon took

over in 1969Normally, if unemployment was high, inflation was

low, and vice versaHowever, both were high during his presidency,

which is called stagflationEnforced price and wage freezes to curb inflation,

which worked; inflation rose again when controls were lifted in 1974, up to 12%!

The Energy CrisisBy 1973, the US used twice as much oil as it

producedMuch of the oil imported came from a group of

nations called OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries)

President Nixon Because of US support of Israel in the Arab-Israeli

War, OPEC cut off shipments to the USPrices for oil rose 400% in a few short monthsEnergy prices skyrocketed, and lines for gas stations

sometimes ran for milesThe embargo was lifted in 1974, but prices remained

high

Nixon wanted the nation to rely less on foreign oilProposed the 55 mph speed limitAuthorized building of Trans-Alaska PipelineAuthorized the building of dozens of nuclear power

plants throughout the nationMany were scared of nuclear accidentsSupporters said the benefits outweighed the negatives

President NixonWorked to help protect the environment

First Earth Day, April 22, 1970Created the Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA), 1970Clean Air Act, 1970Water Quality Improvement Act, 1972Endangered Species Act, 1973

Foreign policy (outside of Vietnam) based on realpolitik (practical politics)Serve the national interest, rather than democracy

and human rightsBalance power between nations, otherwise risk a

war

President NixonChina

Worked to improve relations with China, who had become an enemy of the Soviet Union

Made an historic visit to China in 1972 that eventually led to greater trade and cultural ties

Soviet Union Met in May 1972 to Leonid Brezhnev, leader of USSR Signed the Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT)

Limited the number of ICBMs a nation could possessDid not end arms race, but took steps to reduce arms

Entered a period of détente, a lessening of tensions between the two superpowers

Israel Oct. 1973 Yom Kippur War USSR threatened to intervene, but a cease fire was called

between Israel, Syria and Egypt

WatergateNixon was a very paranoid man, and felt that he had

the power to do almost whatever he pleased

After the Pentagon Papers were leaked, he organized a system to stop info from leaking again Compiled an “enemies list” Created the Plumbers, a group of CIA and FBI agents

used to ensure things would not be leaked

In June 1972, the Plumbers were being used to ensure Nixon’s reelection that fall A group of Plumbers were caught breaking into the

Democratic National Committee at the Watergate complex

They were carrying wiretaps and other spying equipment

Paid by the Committee to Re-elect the President (CRP)

WatergateNixon immediately denied any links to the break-in

However, two reporters from the Washington Post continued to investigate Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward Used a highly secretive source, known only as “Deep

Throat” to obtain info on the break-in Informed that 50 agents had been hired to sabotage Dems

reelection bid for 1972

Nixon easily won reelection, but investigations began on the Watergate break-ins Investigations were held over accusations of criminal

activities and a presidential cover-up Several White House officials were found guilty and sent to

jail for their role Nixon was accused of being directly involved, to which he

denied

“I am not a crook!”

WatergateNixon had secretly tape recorded conversations in his

office The prosecution demanded the tapes, but Nixon refused,

saying it would endanger national security Spiro Agnew, his vice president, plead guilty to tax evasion

in Oct. 1973, and resigned Gerald Ford was named the new vice president

A series of firings took place over the tapes Nixon ordered Archibald Cox, the man demanding the tapes,

to be fired His Attorney General and assistant resigned rather than fire

Cox Robert Bork, who took over as Attorney General, fired Cox in

what became known as the Saturday Night Massacre The public was outraged and demanded Nixon’s

impeachment

Watergate Nixon slowly gave up some of the tapes

Refused to give all of the tapes Some of the tapes had gaps in them, supposedly erased by

Nixon himself In July 1974, the Supreme Court ordered he turn over the

tapes

The tapes told the whole story of what happened Nixon ordered the scandal covered up and other illegal

activities

Articles of impeachment were recommended by the House Judiciary Committee

Rather than face impeachment, Nixon resigned, effective August 9, 1974 Gerald Ford was sworn in as president, nominating Nelson

Rockefeller as vice president Became first president to resign

Gerald R. Ford 1974-1977

Ford’s PresidencyFord had a tough job of trying to restore faith in

the government

Ford pardoned Nixon for all wrongdoing in Watergate, to which the public was outraged

At odds with a Democratically controlled Congress, vetoing 66 bills in his short term

The economy pulled Ford’s approval even lowerAttempted to address inflation with Whip Inflation

Now (WIN), a program of budget and tax cuts, but could not get Congress on board

The nation endured another recession during his presidency, harming his chances of reelection in 1976

Ford’s PresidencyContinued many of Nixon’s foreign policy measures

Kept Henry Kissinger as his secretary of state

Asian Relations Proposed millions for Vietnam and Cambodia, but was only

able to secure humanitarian aid Mayaguez incident: Cambodia seized an American ship, to

which Ford responded strongly; however, 41 were killed in the incident

Africa Largely ignored, but Ford secretly funneled money to an

anticommunist movement in Angola

Soviet Union Continued détente, but fragilely Failed to obtain a trade pact, but negotiated an arms-

limitation treaty, however, the Senate failed to ratify

Jimmy Carter 1977-1981

Jimmy Carter In 1976, Democrat Jimmy Carter narrowly defeated

Republican Gerald Ford for the presidency A Washington outsider barely known outside of the South Promised to maintain an open presidency

Had to address many issues in his term Pardoned Vietnam draft dodgers High inflation of 13.3% that drove the economy back into

recession by 1980 Oil prices continued to hamper the economy

Energy Proposal Keep the 55 mph speed limit Reduce thermostats in home Created the Department of Energy to oversee issues Supported nuclear energy, but was delivered a blow by a

near meltdown at Three Mile Island in 1979

Jimmy CarterWhile he struggled with domestic issues, many foreign

issues also plagued Carter’s term

Rejected the realpolitik of Nixon and Ford, upsetting many dictators of US allies

Panama: negotiated the Panama Canal Treaties to turn control of the canal over to Panama by 2000

Supported African nations and self-rule, especially condemning apartheid in South Africa

Soviet Union: détente continued to decline Officially ended in December 1979 when the Soviet

Union invaded Afghanistan Cut off grain shipments to USSR and boycotted the 1980

Olympics, held in Moscow Nearly prevented the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” Also postponed signing an arms treaty with the Soviets

Jimmy CarterMost notable achievement was a Middle East peace

treaty Invited Egypt and Israel to the US to work out a peace

before another war broke out Anwar Sadat (Egypt) and Menachem Begin (Israel) signed

the Camp David Accords in 1978

Iran Hostage Crisis Revolution in Iran overthrew the US backed Shah, while

installing a theocracy led by Ayatollah Khomeini When the US let the Shah in to the US for medical

treatment, students overran the US Embassy Hostages were held for 444 days Carter tried to free them, but 8 soldiers were killed when

their helicopter crashed The hostages were released the day that Reagan became

president

Life in the 1970sDemographics

Immigration, mostly from Latin America and AsiaMany came from Mexico, Cuba, China and VietnamVoting Rights Act of 1975 required ballots to be printed in

other languagesBilingual Education Act gave money to schools to teach in

native languages while people learned English Sunbelt States

Many moved from the NE and Midwest to Sun Belt states of the South and Southwest

Home air conditioning made it possible for many to live in the hot climates

Family lifePeople put off marrying, many not marrying at allDivorce rates increased to almost 50%Family sizes drastically reduced, compared to the baby

boom

Life in the 1970sPeople began to look to ways to improve themselves

Health clubs and jogging became popular However, alcohol and fast food consumption rose, with more

and more meals coming from outside the home

Entertainment The movie industry boomed during the decade, churning out

blockbusters left and right Music was defined by rock and new versions of it in the form

of heavy metal, punk, and, most popular, disco

Technology Creation of the personal computer by Steve Jobs and

Stephen Wozniak (Apple) Atari video game console in the home Telephone answering machine Skylab space station Satellite and cable tv